Federal investigators seized the mobile phone and laptop of Los Angeles Lakers owner Mark Walter during a court-authorized search last September, according to a Bloomberg report, placing one of the NBA’s most influential franchise owners under renewed scrutiny even as no criminal charges have been filed.
Bloomberg’s Zachary R. Mider, Ava Benny-Morrison and Myles Miller reported that the Federal Bureau of Investigation executed a search warrant aboard Walter’s private aircraft at Chicago Midway International Airport on Sept. 18. The FBI’s Chicago field office confirmed it carried out the court-authorized search but declined to comment on the investigation or the evidence being sought.
According to Bloomberg, the search was part of a broader federal investigation into the financial dealings of Walter’s business empire, including Guggenheim Partners and insurance companies affiliated with his holding company, TWG Global. The report noted that prosecutors have been examining potential financial improprieties, although investigations of this nature can conclude without any charges being brought.
TWG Global defended Walter in a statement provided to Bloomberg.
“Mark Walter and TWG have always acted in good faith, and those who have done business with Mark know him as honest and straightforward,” the company said. “We are cooperating with authorities, and we are confident these matters will be resolved favorably.”
Bloomberg reported that investigators have examined Guggenheim’s $362 billion asset management business, including whether revenue information shared with outside parties was accurate. Prosecutors have also reviewed a 2025 investment agreement with Mubadala Capital and, more recently, private credit investments involving Delaware Life Insurance Co. and Clear Spring Life and Annuity Co., which disclosed receiving grand jury subpoenas earlier this year.
Walter, whose net worth is estimated at approximately $16 billion by the Bloomberg Billionaires Index, has become one of the most prominent owners in global sports. In addition to controlling the Los Angeles Dodgers, he owns the Lakers and holds a stake in Chelsea Football Club.
The report arrives during a pivotal offseason for the Lakers following the departure of LeBron James in free agency. After finishing 53-29 and winning the Pacific Division in 2025-26, Los Angeles was swept by the Oklahoma City Thunder in the Western Conference semifinals before reshaping its roster around Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves.
The franchise committed heavily to that new core by re-signing Reaves to a four-year maximum contract, acquiring center Walker Kessler in a blockbuster trade with the Utah Jazz, and adding Collin Sexton, Quentin Grimes, Sandro Mamukelashvili, Kevon Looney and Matisse Thybulle in free agency. Those moves signaled an all-in approach to building a championship contender around Doncic in the post-LeBron era.
At this stage, there is no indication in Bloomberg’s reporting that the federal investigation involves the Lakers’ basketball operations or the NBA franchise itself. The reported search focused on Walter’s broader financial businesses, and neither Bloomberg nor the FBI indicated that the Lakers were subjects of the investigation.
The NBA has not publicly commented on the matter. As the investigation continues, the legal process will determine whether prosecutors pursue charges or ultimately close the case without further action.
